Milwaukee to brew Coors Light again

MillerCoors LLC is making a major investment in its Milwaukee brewing operations in order to relaunch local production of Coors Light.

MillerCoors previously brewed Coors Light, the second-best selling beer brand in the United States, in Milwaukee, but the company halted production due to brewing issues.

The current project includes the installation of new fermentation tanks at the brewery along West State Street, MillerCoors spokesman Pete Marino said.

MillerCoors chief executive officer Tom Long told The Business Journal in a previous interview that the yeast used to brew Coors Light is highly fragile and that production of the brew in Milwaukee had been halted until there was enough volume in Milwaukee to keep the yeast healthy.

Coors Light currently is being produced at all of the major breweries in the MillerCoors system, with the exception of Milwaukee, which is the oldest of all of the facilities.

Production of Coors Light in Milwaukee could begin by late summer, Marino said.

Hunzinger Construction Co., Brookfield, has been issued a building permit by the city of Milwaukee for commercial construction associated with the project, which has an estimated cost of $6.3 million.

Chicago-based MillerCoors operates a major brewery and has administrative offices on Milwaukee’s west side. Its Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. unit also operates a small brewery near downtown Milwaukee.

The capital investment in the Milwaukee brewery is expected to result in more efficient logistics.

“Getting Coors Light to consumers in a more efficient manner is part of it,” Marino said.

Coors Light growth

Coors Light, the top-selling brand of MillerCoors LLC, surpassed Budweiser, known as the “king of beers,” as the No. 2 beer by shipments in the United States in 2011, ending a nearly two-decade stranglehold on the top two spots by chief competitor Anheuser-Busch Cos., which continues to hold the top position with its Bud Light brand.

Last year marked the seventh consecutive year of growth for Coors Light as other megabrands, such as Bud Light, Budweiser and another MillerCoors brand, Miller Lite, have experienced sales declines.

“There’s been high demand for Coors Light,” Marino said.

MillerCoors has been successful in developing a brand position for Coors Light that experts claim has been relevant with consumers through its “cold refreshment” message.

Coors Light had been a brand of Coors Brewing Co. of Golden, Colo., prior to the formation of a joint venture with Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Co. that launched in July 2008. Its traditional strongholds have been in the West and the Northeast.

MillerCoors has made a marketing push for Coors Light in Wisconsin, which has been an underdeveloped market for the brand, mainly because Miller had such a strong presence with its products.